Industry News

All the latest news and views.

Royal Assent granted for Phase 1 of HS2

Royal Assent has been granted for Phase 1 of HS2, marking another significant milestone for High Speed Rail in Britain. High Speed Rail Industry Leaders welcomed apprentices from across our membership as they joined Transport Minister Andrew Jones MP to say ‘We’re HS2 ready!’

HS2 will be the biggest investment in our skills base in decades and will foster a new generation of world class engineers and experts across a range of sectors. This year (more…)

By Deborah, ago

High Speed Rail for Northern England and Scotland

The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure Investment and Cities in Scotland and the UK Transport Minister met in Waverley Station to launch two long awaited reports, one from HS2 Ltd on Anglo-Scottish high-speed rail, the other on the case for high-speed rail between Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Their common aim has settled on what the Scottish Ministers have long sought: a three hour journey time from Edinburgh and Glasgow to London.

HSR - 3hrs to scotland

The High Speed Scotland Summary Report sets out the appraisal of a high speed rail connection between Glasgow and Edinburgh, which emerged from initial feasibility work carried out by Transport Scotland when considering potential options for linking Scotland to the high speed network being developed by HS2 Ltd. The report also takes into account the Broad options for upgraded and high speed railways to the North of England and Scotland study, which outlines findings from the feasibility study of delivering journey times of 3 hours or less between London and Scotland, by looking in to upgrade options to the existing West Coast Main Line (WCML) and East Coast Main Line (ECML), and options for high speed routes extending from HS2 Phase Two.

Keith Brown, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities (more…)

By Deborah, ago

How industry will build our new high speed railway

HS2 will be the biggest ever single investment in the UK rail network. With this huge level of investment, the industry bears the responsibility to deliver the project as efficiently as
possible and to ensure that taxpayers get the most value for their spend. Last year, High Speed Rail Industry Leaders (HSRIL) produced a report outlining how the rail industry will build Britain’s new high speed railway. ‘Poised to Deliver’ uses examples from its member companies, lessons learnt and experience built up (more…)

By Deborah, ago

Rail Supply Group strategy highlights opportunities to maximise benefits to UK PLC

The Rail Supply Group (RSG) has launched its strategy to build growth in the UK rail industry and support exports. Fast Track to the Future sets out the sector’s long-term commitment to increase manufacturing and innovation capability and enhance productivity, skills and employment to support UK economic growth.

High Speed Rail Industry Leaders welcomed the strategy: “The Rail Supply Group and TISS reports in recent days mark a significant step forward in the development of a rail industry skills strategy.

“There is nothing of greater importance to the sector than developing our people. The RSG strategy today identifies High Speed Rail as a cross cutting theme. There is no greater opportunity to demonstrate that rail can be a high-technology and advanced industry and we should use the development of HS2 as a catalyst to invest in our skills base and transform perception of the railways, attracting once again the brightest and the best to the careers it can offer.” (more…)

By Deborah, ago

Why three hours matters

Henrik Anderberg from HSRIL member company Alstom spoke at a recent Greengauge 21 HSR conference, making the case that when inter-city train journey times can be brought under this totemic benchmark, rail gains serious market share versus air. Henrik used data from European and Japanese high-speed rail links to make his point that there is a “cliff edge” at three hours, stating (more…)

By Deborah, ago